Pricking machines



April 10, 1962 Filed Feb. 12, 1958 J. E. CANNELL PRICKING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/V/S/VTOE JOHN EDWIN CANNELL A T TOR/VE Y8.

April 10, 1962 J. E. CANNELL 3,028,893 PRICKING MACHINES Filed Feb, 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //VV/V7'OR JOHN EDWIN OANNELL A T TOR/VEYS.

April 1962 J. E. CANNELL I 3,028,893

PRICKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I/ VE/VTOR JOHN EDWIN CANNELL BY A T TORNEYS.

ire ttes This invention relates to pricking machines. and. in particular to machines 'for pricking small regularly sized articles suchas pulses.

It has been'foun'd advantageous to rupture the skins of pulses suchas peas orbroa'd beansjbefore drying ,them. Pulses which havebeen so treatedrequire' less timeto prepare "for consumption.

"Itisan object of the presentinvention to provide a machine for pricking regularly sized articles such as pulses, and in particular a machine'for pricking peas for the above purpose. It is a further object of the; present invention' to provide a: process for pricking peas.

"Thepresent' inventionprovides a pricking machine comprising a' pin .drum andapocket drum mounted for rotation'about theirrespective axes, the curved surface of the pin drumbeingprovided with aplurality of; pins .and that Of the pocket drum with a plurality ofvpockets, and synchronising means for synchronising the rotation of the 'drums,said pins;and pockets being so positioned on the drums and the synchronsing means being so arranged that eachpinisi'in virtual meshiwith a pocket astheypass through theplane joining the two axes.

Thepresent; invention also provides a method of, pricking peas'which comprises rotating. a pin. drum the curved surface of which has a plurality of pins and a pocket drum the curved surface of which has aplurality of pockets so that'eachpin is. in virtual mesh with a pocket as they pass throughthe plane joining the axes oflthe two drums, placing peas in the pockets prior to. their passage, through the, plane, pricking. the peas withandirnpaling them on the pins during'theirpassage through the plane, removing ,thepeas impaled on the pinsi from the pockets by the movement of the pins. relative to'thepockets and then removingthe peas from the pins.

It will ,be understood that though the cross-sectional area of the operative portion of the pin, that is the porftion which enters the,pulse to pierce it, can be jvaried over a range while still enabling the pulse to be pierced satisfactorily, *that area must .always .be considerably smaller :than the cross-sectional .area of the pulse and hence .of the pocket.

iPreferablythe pins are pointed. Preferably thepins are radial.

At" least one ofpthe drums may be conical or frustoconical but it is preferred. that they are'bothcylindrical.

.The synchronising means ,arepreferably ,so arranged 'thatwhen the drums rotate, corresponding sectionsrotater ;at substantially the same peripheral speed.

TheLterm meshing'has been used to indicate that the *pincooperates with a pocket, but without'thepin engaging the side of the pocket. The pulsesituatedin .a pocket may protrude above the curved surface of the pocket drum. Then, provided that the .pin entersthepea, there is. no need for. itto penetrate so far that it also enters the pocket. The term 'virtual meshing has been used to indicate thatthe pin need not enter thepocket.

The axis of the pin drum maypbe situated at the same level as or above theaxis of the pocket drum. In that case, the pulses are retained .inatheirpo'ckets' bygravity 3,028,893 Patented Apr. 10, 1962 prior'toibeing pricked. Alternatively, the curved surface of the pocket drum may move past and in contact with a curved stationary retaining plate, which retains thepulses in their pockets until after they have passed the pin drum. 'The pin drum axis may in this case be situated below that of the pocket drum. The stationary plate must be provided with slots or apertures'through which the pins can I pass.

The means for feeding the pulses to the pockets preferably include a'feedhopper, the sidesof which terminate close to ormake contact with the curved surface of the pocket drum. Assuming :that the pocket drum is intendedto be rotatedin an anti-clockwise direction, the feed hopper should be:situated in the '12 to.3 oclock :quarter.

"The pin 'drumis'preferably 'situatedinthe 9 to '12 oclockiquarter, the plane joining the centres of .the axes 'of the two drums making an angle between '30-'60" to'the .base of the machine and henceto the horizontal. Means may be provided at the leadingface of the hopper'to prevent peas being carried over byithe pocket drum unless they are situated in apocket. These means may be constituted'by theleadingfaceextending to the curved surface. of the pocket .drum; in that case the'leading face should be made of resilient material. Preferably the lower portion of the leading face stops short of the curved 7 surface of the pocketfdrum or.is omitted and a rotatable brush is providedjfor sweeping the, peas situated on top of the curved surface'ba'ckwardstowards the'hopper.

.Means are preferably provided for removing pulses which have become impaled during their passage through the plane. These removinglmeans may be in the'form of a.slotted plate. Where'a curved retaining plate is used, this may .also constitutethe removing means. Alternatively, means maybe provided for retracting the pins into the pin drum so that the peas are forced oifthe pinsby the curvedsurface of that drum.

Preferred examples of a pricking machine according to the rpresent'invention designed 'for pricking peas will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1- shows a side elevation of the machine,

FIG. 2. shows a plan view of the machine shownin FIG. 1,

"FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically an elevation of an alternative embodiment,

FIG. 14 shows diagrammatically aplan .viewrof a detail of the embodimentshowninFIG. 3.

Referring toFIGS. .1 and 2, theiframe of'thetmachine comprises a phase '1, vertical frame members *2, -3 and 4, horizontal frame membersS and6, two pairs of cross members7 and '8. Cross member 7 -makes an angle of 45 to the base.

The pocket drum"9 is 'securedto a shaft 10 which is rotatably mounted in bearings llfixed to-cross member 7. A;pulley12 'issecuredto shaftl'tl and 'a spur gear wheel 13*to'aboss of drum9. The curved surface of 'drum 9is provided with-a plurality of pockets 1'4 disposed in straight rows which are'equispaced circumferentially around the pocket drum. Thepockets'ineach'row 'are'equispaced from one another, any pocket of any one row lying onthe same circle as one pocket of each ofthe other rows.

The pindrum 15 is rotatably mounted on. a fshaft16 which issecured in supports 17 fixed to cross members *7. A spurgear Wheel 18, which is in mesh with gear wheel .13 issecured to. a'j boss of the drum 15. 'The curved surface of drum 15 is provided with a plurality of pins 19 disposed in straight rows which are equispaced circumferentially around the pin drum. The pins in each row are equispaced circumferentially around the pin drum. The pins in each row are equispaced from one another, any pin of any one row lying on the same circle as one pin of each of the other rows. The peripheral distance between the centre lines of rows of pockets substantially equals that between rows of pins, and the distance between pockets in any row equals that between pins in any row. The pitch circle diameters of the gear wheels are such that the pins of any row mesh with the pockets of any row as those rows pass through the plane joining the axes of the drums.

The pins 19 project through holes in the curved surface of drum 15. Each row of pins is secured to a bar (not shown) which rotates with the curved surface. Each bar is provided with a follower which co-operates with a cam (not shown) secured to the stationary shaft to cause the bar to move radially towards and away from the curved surface. The arrangement is such that the cam pushes the follower and hence the bar outwards, thereby causing the pins to project through the curved surface of the pin drum. This is similar to an arrangement illustrated in U.S. Patents Nos. 457,744 and 494,105.

The machine is provided with a supply hopper 20 which is situated above a vibratory feeder 21. For the sake of clarity, supply hopper 20 has been omitted from FIG. 2. Vibratory feeder 21 feeds a feed hopper 22 having sides 23, 24 and 25, the lower edges of which almost make contact with the curved surface of the lower drum 9.

A cylindrical brush 26 is secured to a shaft 27 rotatably mounted in bearings 28 fixed to the horizontal frame members. A pulley 29 is also secured to the shaft 27.

The machine is powered by an electric motor 30 which drives a reduction gear box 31. The output shaft 32 of the reduction gear has pulleys 33 and 34 secured to it. Pulley 33 drives the pulley 12 by means of a belt 35. Pulley 34 drives a pulley 36 secured to a shaft 37 rotatably mounted in bearings 38 secured to the horizontal members. Also secured to shaft 37 is a further pulley 39 which drives pulley 29 by means of belt 40. For the sake of clarity, the belts have been omitted from FIG. 2.

In the particular embodiment described, the diameter of the pocket drum 9 was 21%"; the diameter of the pockets was /2 and their full diameter depth .225. There were 72 rows of pockets at intervals, each row having 16 pockets at 91 pitch. The pitch circle diameter of gear wheel 13 was also 21%. The curved surface of the pin drum 15 was constituted by a series of flat slats. The diameter of the pin drum was 14" across flats. The pitch circle diameter of gear wheel 18 was 14 /2". The maximum projection of the pins was /2. Their diameter was and their exposed end was tapered to a point having an inclusive angle of 20.

Thus the peripheral speed of the pocket drum equalled the peripheral speed of the pins measured at a point flush with the curved surface of the pocket drum. Thus the peripheral speed of the pin drum was very slightly less than that of the pocket drum but as the distance between the curved surfaces of the two drums was small compared with their radii, the peripheral speeds of the drums were substantially equal.

In operation, the supply hopper 20 supplies peas to the vibratory feeder 21 which feeds them to feed hopper 22. The vibratory feeder is adjusted to maintain the level of peas in feed hopper 22 constant. Drum 9 is rotated anti-clockwise and the pockets in its curved surface, which surface constitutes the fioor of feed hopper 22, become filled with peas, one in each pocket. Any peas whichthough not situated in a pocket-are carried upwards by the curved surface, are brushed back towards the hopper by the brush 26 which is also rotated in an anti-clockwise direction.

As a row of pockets approaches the plane joining the two shafts, a row of pins which has previously been pushed outwards, enters the correspondingly approaching row of pockets and punctures the peas therein. The peas will remain impaled on the pins when the pins move out of engagement with the pockets. A chute 41 is situated below drum 15 to guide the peas to a container as they are forced off the pins when the latter are retracted.

It will be noted that any pea which has not become impaled on a pin (for example because the pea is of ancessively soft texture or because it is undersized) will not be deposited into chute 41 but will fall out of the pocket as the pocket drum continues to rotate, into a tray (not shown) placed below the drum.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pocket drum 42 is identical to pocket drum 9 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The pins 43 of pin drum 44 are, however, fixed relative to the curved surface of the pin drum instead of being movable radially. The pins 43 pass through a stationary slightly curved plate 45 having slots 46 before entering the pockets, and the peas subsequently impaled on the pins are removed therefrom when the pin passes out of the plate.

I claim:

1. A pricking machine comprising a pin drum and a pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes, with their peripheries moving in close proximity to one another, a plurality of pins carried on said pin drum in a predetermined pattern along its periphery, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pocket drum arranged in a predetermined pattern, the pattern of said pins corresponding to the pattern of said pockets, with each pin entering a pocket in the portion of the periphcries in close proximity to one another and then withdrawing therefrom, means for depositing pulses individually in said pockets prior to the entry of said pins into said pocket, and drive means connected between said drums for synchronising the rotation of corresponding peripheral sections of the drum.

2. A pricking machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the drive means includes means for rotating corresponding sections of each drum at substantially the same peripheral speed.

3. A pricking machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the pins extend radially from the pin drum.

4. A pricking machine comprising a cylindrical pin drum and a cylindrical pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes with their peripheries moving in close proximity to each other, a plurality of pins carried on said pin drum in a predetermined pattern along its periphery, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pocket drum arranged in a pattern corresponding to that of said pins, with the pins of the one drum successively entering and then leaving the pockets of the pocket drum where the drum peripheries are closest, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets where they become impaled on said pins that enter said pockets, and drive means connected between said drums for operating them at the same peripheral speeds.

5. A pricking machine for pricking pulses comprising a pin drum and a pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes with their peripheries in close proximity to one another, a plurality of pins extending radially from the periphery of said pin drum, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pocket drum, drive means connected between said drums for synchronising the rotation of the drums, said pins and said pockets arranged in corresponding patterns on their respective drums with each pin entering and leaving a pocket as it passes through the plane containing the two axes, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin entering and then leaving that pocket, and means for removing pulses pierced by said pins.

6. A pricking machine as set-forth in claim 5, in which theremoving means comprises azslotted-plate dis- :posed between said drums with its slots.aligned with the ggpa-thsof movement of the pins, andthrough the. slots'of "which the pins enter and then leave during rotation of 'z'said drums, the plate diverging fromrsaid pin :drum as the pins leave said pockets and pushing pulses impaled on the pins from the pins after the pins leave the pockets.

7. A pricking machine as set forth in claim 5, in which the removing means comprises means for retracting the pins into the pin drum so that pulses impaled on the pins are forced oif by contact with the curved surface of the pin drum.

8. A pricking machine comprising a cylindrical pin drum and a cylindrical pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes, a plurality of pins disposed in a plurality of straight rows with the rows equally spaced in a pattern around the circumference of the pin drum, each pin of each row lying in the same plane transverse to the axis of the drum as the corresponding pins in the other rows, a plurality of pockets arranged about the surface of the pocket drum in a pattern corresponding to that of said pins with each pin entering and then leaving the pockets during rotation of said drums, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin that enters said pocket, and drive means interconnecting said drums for causing rotation of the drums at the same peripheral speeds.

9. A pricking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which the drive means includes means which rotate corresponding sections of the drums at substantially the same peripheral speed.

10. A pricking machine comprising a cylindrical pin drum and a cylindrical pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes, a plurality of pins disposed radially on the peripheral surface of said pin drum in a plurality of straight rows with the rows equally spaced circumferentially around the pin drum, each pin of each row lying in the same plane transverse to the axes of the pin drum, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pocket drum disposed in a pattern corresponding to that of the pins, drive means interconnecting said drums for synchronizing the rotation of the drums at the same peripheral speed of the drums, with said pins entering and then leaving correspondingly disposed pockets as the drums rotate as the pins approach, pass through, and then leave a plane joining the axes of the drums, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets approaching said plane for piercing by a pin, and pulse removing means comprising a plate disposed between the peripheries of said drums and having a plurality of slots, the slots being aligned with and in the paths of movement of the pins with the plate diverging from the pin drum after the pins pass through said plane, whereby pulses impaled on the pins are removed by the plate during the passage of the pins through it.

11. A pricking machine comprising a cylindrical pin drum and a cylindrical pocket drum mounted for rotation about their respective axes, a plurality of pins mounted on said pin drum in a plurality of straight rows equally spaced circumferentially around the pin drum, the pins in each row being spaced equally from one another, any pin of any row lying on the same circle as one pin of each of the other rows, a plurality of pockets disposed on said pocket drum in a pattern similar to said pins, drive means connected to said drums so that the peripheral speeds of the drums are substantially equal, said pins and pockets being arranged in a corresponding pattern on their respective drums with each pin entering and leaving a pocket as it passes through the plane containing the two axes, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin entering and then leaving that pocket, and means for retracting the pins into the .pin drurruso that pulses impaledon the,pinsrare charge portion of said feed hopper zpositioned adjacent the surface of the pocket drum, and a rotatable brush mounted at the top of the pocket drum to sweep pulses toward the hopper.

13. A method of pricking peas which comprises the steps of conveying a plurality of peas along a predetermined path, progressively impaling the peas on pins during their travel in said path, and then progressively removing the impaled peas from said pins during their further travel along said path.

14. A method of pricking pulses comprising the steps of moving a plurality of pockets progressively along a selected path, placing pulses individually in said pockets at one location in said path, progressively pricking said pulses with pins at a later location in said path, and then removing the pulses from said pins at a still later location in said path.

15. A pricking machine for pricking pulses comprising a pin drum mounted for rotation about a first axis, a plurality of pins extending radially from the periphery of said pin drum in a predetermined pattern, a pocket drum mounted for rotation about a second axis, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said Pocket drum arranged in a predetermined pattern, the pattern of said pins and the pattern of said pockets being arranged in corresponding patterns on their respective drums with each pin entering and leaving a pocket as it passes through said first and second axes, each of said pins having a substantially smaller cross-section than that of said pocket, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin entering and then leaving that pocket, and drive means connected between said drums for operating them at the peripheral speeds.

16. A pricking machine for pricking pulses comprising a pin drum and a pocket drum mounted for rotation about parallel axes with their peripheries moving in close proximity to each other, the axis of said pin drum being above a horizontal plane through the axis of said pocket drum, a plurality of pins carried on said pin drum in a predetermined pattern along its periphery, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pocket drum arranged in a predetermined pattern, the pattern of said pins and the pattern of said pockets being arranged in corresponding patterns on their respective drums with each pin protruding into a pocket when in a plane passing through the axis of said drums, means for depositing a pulse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin, drive means connected between said drums for synchonizing the rotation of corresponding peripheral sections of the drums, the direction of rotation of contiguous sections of the drums being downwardly, and means for removing pulses that remain on said pins after piercing, the pulses remaining in pockets after piercing being removed by gravity at approximately the lowermost point of travel of the surface of said pocket drum.

17. A pricking machine for pricking pulses comprising a pin drum and a pocket drum mounted for otation about parallel axes, a plurality of pins carried on said pin drum in a predetermined pattern, a plurality of pockets in the periphery of said pockets drum arranged in a predetermined pattern, said plurality of pins being arranged in a pattern whereby a single pin is in alignment with a corresponding pocket at at least one portion of the rotational travel of said drums, drive means connected between said drums for synchronizing the peripheral speeds of said drums, means for depositing a pluse in each of said pockets for piercing by a pin entering and then leaving that pocket, and means for removing pulses that remain on said pins after being pierced by said pins, the

'7 8 pulses remaining in said pockets after piercing being re- 949,105 Lispenard Mar. 21, 1893 moved from said pockets by gravity. 804,799 Edison Nov. 14, 1905 2,083,370 Greulich June 8, 1937 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,742,068 Metcalf Apr. 17, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,7 4, Thom J ly 17, 19 6 2,783,803 Weckel et al. Mar. 5, 1957 457,744 Lispenard Aug. 11, 1891 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Noo 3,028,893 April 10, 1962 John Edwin Cannell It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered putout requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6 line 52, for "axis" read ax'es line 54, f or synchonlzlng" read synchronizing line 66, for

pockets second occurrence, read pocket column 8,

line 1, for "949, 105" read 494 105 Signed and sealed this 14th day of August 1962.

(SEAL) Atteet:

DAVID L. LADD ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

